All purpose orthopedic pillow



Oct. 9, 1956 E. s. MUELLER 2,765,480

ALL PURPOSE ORTHOPEDIC PILLOW Filed NOV. 12, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

A TrOR/VE ya Oct. 9, 1956 E. s. MUELLER 2,755,480

' ALL PURPOSE ORTHOPEDIC PILLOW Filed NOV. 12, 1952 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 flea/70F LS. Muefler INVENTOR.

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ATTOR/VL VS ALL PURPOSE ORTHOPEDIC PILLOW Eleanor S. Mueller, Houston, Tex.

Application November 12, 1952, Serial No. 319,914

Claims. (Cl. 5338) This invention relates to improvements in orthopedic pillows and refers more particularly to an all purpose pillow suitable for use both as a bed pillow for sleeping purposes and a pillow for supporting various portions of the human body during the wakeful hours in sitting positions and the like.

The pillow of this invention is not limited in its use to persons suffering from some degree of infirmity, but it is especially adaptable to alleviating discomforts and stiffness frequently encountered by many persons such as those suffering from varying degrees of arthritis. For example, frequently arthritics find it nearly essential when sleeping on their back to use no pillow at all, and when sleeping on their side to elevate their head with a pillow so that their back and spine will remain substantially straight in a horizontal plane. Also, many persons suffering from some degree of infirmity find it necessary or highly desirable to provide unusual support for various poltions of their body when in a sitting position, either when sitting in bed or when sitting in the usual chairs and the like.

An object of this invention is to provide a single pillow which may be used to alleviate to some extent the conditions hereinabove discussed.

Another object is to provide a pillow having a fiat intermediate section of no substantial thickness with side stuffed sections for supporting the head in the normal manner.

Another object is to provide an all purpose orthopedic pillow which, due to its novel construction, can be manipulated into varying shapes and contours to provide varying types of support under varying conditions.

Another object is to provide an all purpose orthopedic pillow which is susceptible to use under varied conditions and may be readily and handily carried from place to place.

Another object is to provide an all purpose orthopedic pillow which may be fabricated with an attractive design so as to give the general appearance of an ornamental pillow whereby not to detract from the appearance of living quarters but actually enhancing their appearance.

Other and further objects of this invention will appear from the description.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of the instant specification and are to be read in conjunction therewith, and wherein like reference numerals are employed in the various views to indicate like parts:

Pig. 1 is a plan view of one side of an orthopedic all purpose pillow embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the other side of the pillow shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the pillow shown in Fig. 1, taken along the line 33 in Fig. 1, in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view, shown more or less schematically, of the pillow shown in Fig. 1 and illustrating one shape or conformation in which the pillow may be put to use;

2,765,480 Patented Oct. 9, 1956 Fig. 5 is a perspective schematic view of the pillow shown in the other figures and illustrates another configuration in which the pillow may be placed and put to use;

Fig. 6 is another perspective schematic view of the pillow illustrating still another form in which the pillow may be placed and used;

Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate two other uses of the pillow in connection with an ordinary chair shown schematically.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, it is seen that the pillow comprises two stufled sections 10 and 11 separated by .a web of flexible flat material 12. This Web may, if desired, be padded very lightly or quilted. It is not necessary that it be given any thickness other than perhaps a double thickness of the cloth or other material from which the pillow is fabricated.

Each of the pillow sections 10 and 11 is elongate and is elliptical in cross-section along a plane transverse of the longitudinal dimension of the stuffed section. The stufiing for each section may be of any of the usual materials used for this purpose such as, for example, kapoc, feathers, foam rubber, hair or the like. The ends of the stuffed sections may be out along a bias as shown at 16a and 11a, respectively, and the ends merely sewn together in the interest of economical fabrication of the pillow.

The outer cover for the stuifed sections, as well as for the fiat portion of the pillow, may be of any suitable material as, for example, ticking, plastics, or more ornamental fabrics including upholstery materials. Preferably, the stuffed sections are of equal size or substantially so and of similar contour. The width dimension of the central or flat portion of the pillow is substantially equal to one-half of the circumference of the stufied sections. Because of this important proportioning of the relative size and shape of the stuffed sections and the relative dimension of the fiat portion, the pillow is capable of being placed in several different conformations whereby it may be put to a varied number of uses as a support for portions of the body of a user.

It is desirable that the pillow may be secured in a number of the shapes in which it may be placed, and to this end, fastening means may be provided associated with and carried by both the stuifed sections and the fiat portion; In connection with the fastening means, it has been found that the usual snaps lend themselves nicely for this purpose for they are both attractive and easily manipulated. Such snaps are small and have not been found to be objectionable from the standpoint of being lumpy and, therefore, do not interfere with full use of the pillow for all purposes and yet enable the user to secure the pillow in various relationships between the stuifed sections and the fiat portion.

The elements of the snaps are shown in the drawings at 13 and 14. The elements 13 of the snaps are recessed and the elements 14 are the projected ones.

Each of the stuffed sections preferably is provided with snaps adjacent one edge but the snaps on one stuffed section are on the opposite side of the pillow than are the snaps on the other stuffed section, with the pillow in its extended fiat position as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The flat portion also carries some of the snap elements adjacent the joinder of the flat portion with the stuffed sections but the elements carried by the flat portion and adjacent one stuffed section are adapted to cooperate with the snap elements or fastening means of the other stuffed section. With this arrangement, the stulfed sections may be secured in superimposed relationship as shown in Fig. 4 with the flat portion lying therebetween and snapped to each of the stuffed sections.

In the Fig. 4 position, the pillow is readily usable wherever a thicker pillow is required and is also con veniently carried from place to place. A handle as shown in Fig. 5, designated by the numeral 15, may be provided for convenience in carrying the pillow from place to place.

It is believed that the numerous uses of the pillow are apparent from the foregoing description. However, by way of example and not by way of limitation, some of the uses will be specifically referred to herein.

With the pillow spread flat upon a bed in the usual position occupied on the bed by a pillow and in its extended position as shown in Fig. 1, a person may conveniently sleep upon his or her back with the head resting upon the flat section so that in effect the head is not elevated. Nevertheless, when the person during the night shifts to either side, the stuffed sections provide a ready support for the head elevating it substantially to the level of the neck, and the person does not have to rouse to locate a pillow and place it in proper position to support the head. It makes no difference which side the person turns to for on each side always the stuffed section is ready and in position for use. The sleeper, of course, may return to his or her back and the flat section again presents itself to relieve the elevation of the head. The pillow in its extended flat position as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, is also useful for laying small infants upon either a car seat or a bed, lengthwise between the stuffed sections and directly upon the flat portion. With small infants, this provides an ample means to prevent the infant from rolling off either the car seat or a bed.

Preferably, the pillow is constructed of a size to fit within the conventional pillow case, when the pillow is employed as a bed pillow.

The pillow when secured in the form shown in Fig. 4 may be used either as a double thickness pillow when desired for sleeping or it may be used as an arm support, either in the seat of an automobile or upon a sofa or divan.

With the pillow in the Fig. 5 position, it may be used as a back rest in connection with a chair, or it may be used to support an injured member such as an arm or leg with the injured member resting in the crevice between the two stuffed sections.

In its Fig. 6 position, the pillow may be used to support the back of a bed patient in a substantially sitting position much on the order of the conventional three-cornered pillow sometimes used for this purpose.

Other possible uses of the pillow in conjunction with a chair are illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8, these uses being made possible by the flexible non-resilient character of the joined web of fiat material 12.

The workings of the snaps or fastening means for securing the stuffed sections in various relationships with respect to themselves and the flat portion are probably best illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6. In Fig. 5, section 11 of the pillow is shown snapped to the snaps 14 carried by the flat section, and it is readily seen that the snaps 13 carried by section may be secured to snaps 14 carried by the fiat portion when section 10 is folded to the position superimposing section 10 as shown in Fig. 4. While the snaps do not show in Fig. 6, nevertheless, it will be understood that the snaps 14 carried by section 11 will be snapped together with the snaps 13 carried by section 10, thus securing the pillow in the position illustrated in Fig. 6.

From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth, together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the structure.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the drawings accompanying this specification is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

The invention having been described, what is claimed 1. An all purpose orthopedic pillow comprising two similarly shaped, elongate stuffed sections and a flat flexible portion intermediate the stuffed sections joining them together, said stuffed sections in cross-sectional shape transversely of their elongate dimension being substantially elliptical and substantially of equal size, said flat portion having a width dimension substantially equal to one-half the elliptical circumference of the stuffed sections, and releasable securing means associated with the stuffed sections and flat portion for releasably securing the stuffed sections in superimposed relationship with the flat portion therebetween.

2. An all purpose orthopedic pillow comprising two similarly shaped, elongate stuffed sections and a fiat flexible portion intermediate the stuffed sections joining them together, said stuffed sections in cross-sectional shape transversely of their elongate dimension being substantially elliptical and substantially of equal size, said flat portion having a width dimension substantially equal to one-half the elliptical circumference of the stuffed sections, and releasable fastening means associated with the stuffed sections and flat portion whereby the stuffed sections may be releasably secured in different positions relative to each other and to the flat portion.

3. An all purpose orthopedic pillow comprising two similarly shaped, elongate stuffed sections and a fiat fiexible portion intermediate the stuffed sections joining them together, said stuffed sections in cross-sectional shape transversely of their elongate dimension being substantially elliptical and substantially of equal size, said flat portion having a width dimension substantially equal to one-half the elliptical circumference of the stuffed sections, and releasable fastening means associated with the stuifed sections and flat portion whereby the stuffed sections may be releasably secured in different positions relative to each other and to the flat portion, said fastening means including fastening elements secured to opposite sides of the stuffed sections, with the pillow in flat extended position, near the outer edges thereof and associated fastening elements carried by the flat portion adjacent the stuffed sections, the fastening elements of the flat section adjacent each stuffed section being adapted to cooperate with the fastening elements of the other stufied section to secure said latter stuffed section to the flat portion.

4. An all purpose orthopedic pillow comprising two similarly shaped, elongate stuffed sections and a flat fiexible portion intermediate the stuffed sections joining them together, said stuffed sections in cross-sectional shape transversely of their elongate dimension being substantially elliptical, said fiat portion having a Width dimension substantially equal to one-half the elliptical circumference of one of the stuffed sections, and releasable fastening means associated with the stuffed sections and fiat portion whereby the stuffed sections may be releasably secured in different positions relative to each other and to the fiat portion.

5. An all purpose orthopedic pillow comprising two elongate stuffed sections and a flat flexible portion intermediate the stuffed sections joining them together, one of said stuffed sections being substantially elliptical in crosssectional shape transversely of its elongate dimension, said flat portion having a width dimension substantially equal to one-half the elliptical circumference of said last mentioned stuffed section, releasable fastening means on said elliptical stuffed section near the outer edge of one side thereof, and releasable fastening means on said flat portion cooperable with the fastening means on said stuflied section, said fastening means on the flat portion being located on the same side of the pillow when unfolded as the fastening means on the elliptical stuffed section and near the edge of said flat portion remote from said elliptical stuffed section, whereby the elliptical stuffed section and flat portion may be fastened together 6 when folded relative to one another.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Miles Sept. 11, 1917 Patton Aug. 9, 1921 Pringle Oct. 17, 1933 Leto et al. July 31, 1951 Damsch Dec. 30, 1952 

